Medals awarded to long-serving police officers

Dedicated regional Superintendent Mark Syrus, intelligence portfolio expert Senior Sergeant First Class Sandra Daly, and leading figure in family violence intervention Senior Constable Lynette Gibson are recognised for their devotion to policing.

Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens APM LEM congratulated the three APM recipients and expressed pride at their achievements.

“Mark, Sandra, and Lynette each exhibit outstanding qualities and commitment to their policing roles,” he said

“Each are leaders in their fields, respected in their communities, and most deserving of this accolade.

“While they haven’t sought thanks or recognition, on behalf of SAPOL, I congratulate and thank each of them for their service.”

Superintendent Mark Syrus

Joining SAPOL in 1980, Superintendent Mark Syrus initially performed general duties roles at Port Augusta and APY Lands before becoming Officer in Charge of Andamooka.

In 1989, he joined STAR Operations, serving with distinction as a team operative, police diver and supervisor in numerous complex, significant and hazardous incidents over a 12-year period. He was promoted to Sergeant within STAR Operations and then Inspector in 2005, when he transferred to Far North Local Service Area (LSA).

Returning to STAR Operations as Officer in Charge in 2014, he represented SAPOL on a national level and was appointed as the National Deputy of Counter Terrorist Operations for the Australia New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee. As Officer in Charge of Communications Centre in 2016, he was integral to the successful implementation of the Communications Support Model which established the Investigation Support Desk and State Crime Assessment Centre.

In 2019 he was promoted to Superintendent as the Officer in Charge of Yorke Mid North LSA where he continues to provide leadership to 140 staff across 32 outstations. In this role he was instrumental in providing support and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding cross-border complexities.

Superintendent Syrus has a strong community connection through his 28-year involvement with Operation Flinders where he has provided leadership and guidance to countless ‘at risk’ youth, helping them to build engagement, resilience and wellbeing. His unwavering commitment to serving the community and improving young people’s lives saw him awarded South Australia Police Officer of the Year in 2022.

Superintendent Syrus has a people-first approach to his staff and has a developed a strong reputation over his distinguished 43-year operational career for his professionalism, frontline and strategic leadership with a focus on training, mentoring and succession planning.

Superintendent Mark Syrus

Senior Sergeant First Class Sandra Daly

Known as an inspirational leader within the intelligence portfolio for most of her distinguished policing career, Senior Sergeant First Class (SS1C) Sandra Daly has made her mark on increasing efficiency across SAPOL.

Early in her police service, SS1C Daly had a strong focus on both operational and strategic intelligence assessments, and since then has led intelligence teams and influenced investigations to successful conclusions which have positively impacted major crimes and general crime rates.

SS1C Daly has been at the forefront of establishing new practices, systems and team structures to ensure SAPOL continues to focus their operations on required areas and achieve desired outcomes in the most efficient way.

She is renowned for her strong work ethic and enthusiasm, which has been integral in making key contributions to crime trend analysis, leading to better resource deployments. This has resulted in improved levels of understanding of criminal activity within South Australia, leading to greater crime reductions and overall improved community confidence and satisfaction.

SS1C Daly is always looking to assist others and is regularly sought by areas across SAPOL and other community groups for her knowledge and experience. Her leadership inspires others which is highly evident from the commitment of those that she works with and the continual requests from those wanting development opportunities within her area.

Senior Sergeant First Class Sandra Daly

Senior Constable Lynette Gibson

Joining SAPOL in 1997, Senior Constable Lynette Gibson commenced her career in metropolitan Adelaide. However, she has spent the past 26 years policing remote regional communities, including Ceduna and Peterborough.

In 2008, she became the Child and Family Intervention Officer in the Anangu community in the APY Lands, where she has dedicated her time and policing experience for the past 16 years. During this time, she has inspired women and children to talk about domestic abuse and educated the community about respecting themselves and their family environment.

Senior Constable Gibson’s commitment, professionalism, expertise and leadership has set a benchmark standard for the cooperation and collaboration between the Anangu community and police. Her dedication to reducing domestic abuse and supporting women in the APY community is commendable and demonstrates how she is an exemplary role model and practitioner in her field of family violence intervention.

She is recognised throughout the APY Lands community, government and non-government agencies as a subject matter expert and often dedicates her own time to assist others by sharing her knowledge and expertise. She ensures SAPOL plays a significant role in community programs thereby enabling SAPOL’s response to be focused on prevention, education and support. Her ability to build connection between community members and stakeholders provides a safe and supportive space to allow progressive results in reducing and preventing domestic abuse.

Senior Constable Gibson has mentored and developed countless SAPOL Family Violence Intervention Officers who have learned from her professionalism and empathetic approach to vulnerable community members. Her tireless dedication to the APY Lands community is immeasurable. She continues to be an inspiration to all, with her localised positive influence encouraging vulnerable people to find their worth and voice.